China Gets A German Touch — BAIC To Produce New Cars On The Mercedes Platform

Chinese auto company, Beijing Automotive Industry Holding (BAIC) Motor will develop its new cars on the Mercedes-Benz platform. Reports say that BAIC got approval from its partner company Daimler, to use the previous gen E-Class platform.

BAIC is said to manufacture new cars and SUVs based on the E-Class platform and launch them in their domestic market by 2018. There is no confirmation on which E-Class platform they are going to use.

Mercedes has launched its new E-Class Sedan in China last Monday, so its is likely to use the old versions of the E-Class series. The report also mentions that BAIC will also make use of two engines from Mercedes, a turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder and a naturally aspirated 3-litre V6, along with a 6-speed automatic gearbox unit. These were used in the older versions of the E-Class.

BAIC is a state owned company that produces transport vehicles and trucks in collaboration with Daimler. The BAIC group comprises of BAIC Motors (passenger vehicles), BAW (offroad, truck, and military vehicles), and Foton Motor (commercial vehicles).